Musical instrument



Jan. 10, 1950 J. K. MASON 2,494,251

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Feb. 24, 1947 2 Shets-Sheet 1 I b g 11,8

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flfoa meys Jan. 10, 1950 .1. K MASON 2,494,251

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Feb. 24, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w w. m M W vm Q Q mm Mm M mm 1 W M f m w mm Q Sm Qmm 6mm 9 on a .w mm 3. T 5 mm 9? n Q P I a 6 Qr W Qm 3m. 5 m m @mm mm Q\ Q Wm. Q om fimm. Em

flffowngys Patented Jan. 10, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF 1 CE- MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Jasper Karl Mason, Warner, H

Application February 24, 194?, Serial No. 730,361

8 Claims. (Cl. ilk-382) This invention relates tomusical instruments and pertains more particularly to an improved" wind instrument in the nature of a clarinet having key-operated valve for opening or closing a plurality of tone holes.

The principal purpose of the invention is to provide a clarinet or similar instrument with improved means, herein designated as tracker mechanism, connecting the keys with the respective tone hole valves, in such a manner that the keyboard may be. composed. entirely ofkeys and with no finger holes to cover and may be consolidated for convenient operation by the musician, regardless. of. the locationot the tone holes and their control valves. An instrument equipped with the novel tracker mechanism may thus be designed. to afiord optimum musical range and quality without sacrifice of ease and simplicity of fingering, for the keys may be compactly located in such relative positions as best-suits the convenience of the operator, while the tone holes may be disposed alongthe length. and periphery of the wind tube.- at such positions as dictated by the pitch andmusical compass of the: instrument without limitation as tofacility or convenience inthe matter of fingering.

I-Ieretofore, su-ch wind instruments have been equipped with. tone holes to be closed by the fingers and withv keys connected by levers or bars of various lengths and designs with the tone hole Valves of the instrument and hence engendering mechanical complexity and noisy operation. In: low pitched instruments, for example, the necessary spacing between the tone holes is particularly wide and the valve keys for the lower": registers to be brought into positions convenient to the finger reach of the operator require the introduction of extended mechanisms whose design -adds: undesirable weight to: the: instrument.-

These objections: and inconveniences are obvi-- ated-by providing. a compact instrument equipped with a series of tracker rods-Forv slides for operating the valves, andthe keyboardof the improved instrument may be: arranged with. full: regard to: convenience of fingering-,whether the operators. hand be large or small; andrin such-order offingering as to accord with accepted methods. The wind tube ma besof suchrlength and contour as to afiord the musical compass required, without complicating the operating mechanism: or the general design of theinstrument;

Additional features and advantages of the im proved wind. instrument? will-- be apparent from the following, description or, arecommended embodiment of the invention-aashown-on-=the 9'0",

companying. drawings, and will be pointed out in the appended claims. It will be understood, how ever, that the novel clarinet herein shown and described is merely illustrative of one type of wind instrument which may be equipped with the improved tracker mechanism, and that the design or structural details of the instrument as a whole may be varied within wide limits without departing from the essence of this invention as set forth inthe claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is. a plan view of a four-octave bass clarinot provided with my improved tracker mechanismand keyboard;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the instrument looking to theright of'Fig. 1;.

Fig. 3 is an enlargeddiagrammatic, transverse section showing an arrangement of the slides or rods of the tracker mechanism with relation to the reversely bent tube between the courses of whichthe mechanism is located in the form here illustrated;v v

Fig-4 isan enlarged diagrammatic transverse section showing the operative connection between a valve and'tracker rod, certain parts'beyond' the plane of section being-omitted;

Fig. 5 is abrokendiagrammatic side view, illustratingin-simplified form typical valves andcorresponding keys of the instrument, and the tracker mechanism for actuating the valves;

Fig- G isa view similar to Fig. 5 and taken on 1ine 6--;6 oi that figure; and

Fig '1 is a diagrammatic sectional perspective view showing an arrangement of bridge members for guiding twenty tracker rods in four banks of fiverocls-each;

In: the particular embodiment of the-inventionchosen for the purpose of illustration, an A- footbass clarinet is designed to afford a totalrange of tour octaves, and provides twenty tone holes with twenty keys for actuating the twenty valves; for the respectivetoneholes together with tworegister holes for tweliths of the prime tones.

production of the It will be appreciatedthat such an instrument not only illustrates the flexibility of the tracker mechanism which connects the several keys with the several valves,

mounthpiece provides a straight section for thecompact,. consolidated keyboard; the balance of the tube is S-shaped, provided with three parallel courses between the keyboard section and the bell; and the tracker mechanism is mounted on top of the keyboard section of the tube and extends between two of said parallel courses. It is apparent that the tube may have more or fewer bends and tone holes than in the form illustrated, or that it may be straight throughout its length when the musical compass of the instrument does not render the straight tube too long for convenient or practical use.

An important factor in the conception and design of an instrument equipped with a tracker mechanism such as herein described is embodied in the facility of construction engendered by the respective and related placements of tone holes and keyboard, the former being located in the sides of the instrument, the latter along the top of the keyboard section of the tube; this arrangement making possible the free operation of respective valves without interference with the mechanism of other valves; the tracker rods in the illustrative instrument here described being arranged in four banks of five rods each, the two inside banks being of rods extending into the tone hole courses of the instrument further than do the rods of the two outside banks, thus enabling freedom in the matter of connecting mechanisms between the rods and tone hole valves; and the extension upward into the keyboard of the rods in each of the four banks increasing progressively from top rod to bottom rod, thereby permitting freedom in the matter of connections between tracker rods and their respective keys. In addition, the arrangement of tracker rods thusly in parallel banks permits the simultaneous multiple operation of two or more valves by depression of a single key or the operation of a selected valve from more than one key.

It will be understood that while the illustrated instrument shows the tone holes as located within the courses of the reversely bent section of the tube, this is not to be regarded as a limitation to design; if desirable, the placement of tone holes may be extended upward into the keyboard section of the tube or downward by extending the length of the tube to whatever limits may be demanded by the required musical compass.

It will also be understood that the diameter of the tube and the size and spacing of the tone holes, as well as the length of the tube and number of tone holes to be provided, depend upon the desired range and pitch of the instrument and are determined from calculations based upon experience or mathematical tables, within the limits of musical accuracy. I have found that the instrument herein described will perform satisfactorily when made from a tube having a unifom bore of approximtately seven-tenths (0.70) inch and an outside diameter of approximately seventy-five hundredths (0.75) inch, and when the tone holes are sized by a graduated sequence in four equal groups of five tone holes each with a uniform tone hole diameter for each group. For example, the live tone holes for the lowest pitched notes may have a diameter of /1s"; the five succeeding higher pitched holes are then in diameter; the next five are /16"; and the highest pitched five tone holes are "/16" in diameter. Such grouping of the tone hole sizes facilitates manufacture of the wind tube without noticeable impairment of musical pitch or quality; but the diameters of the tube may be larger or smaller and the tone holes to the appropriate slide 23.

may obviously be graduated in size, individually, if desired, and of such larger or smaller diameter as may be required by the particular musical compass selected for design.

As shown in Figs. 1 to l, the complete instrument comprises the wind tube ll having a keyboard section |2 adjacent the mouth piece (3, and a looped section lei adjacent the bellend IS. A frame IE is mounted on the keyboard section of the tube and a plurality of keys ll are suitably pivoted in the frame to provide a keyboard assembly. The looped or s-shaped section of the tube includes parallel courses l8, l9 and 20, and the tone holes 2! and their control valves 22 are located in or on these courses of the reversely bent tube. The tone hole openings and the valves are of conventional structure, the cupped valves having the customary pads which seat over the rims of the tone-holes. The mouthpiece I 3 may be a conventional clarinet mouthpiece, modified if necessary by altering its bore to correspond with the bore of the wind tube, or of such other design as may be required for acceptable tone quality.

The novel tracker mechanism interconnecting the keys with corresponding valves comprises a plurality of sliding bars, rods, wires or the like, extending through the carriage l6 and into the space between the courses is and i9 of the wind tube. As here shown, these slides or rods 23 consist of relatively wide and thin metal strips and are arranged to be pulled by the key levers in actuating the valves.

The lever arms 2 of the keys ll are suitably mounted on pivot shafts 25 pivoted at 26 in the sides of the frame It; and the ends of the arms 24 are suitably joined to the ends of the respective slides 23, preferably by a pivot joint 21, as best shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Depression of the keys swings the lever arms to retract the slides, as aforesaid.

As also best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the valve cups 22 are connected by arms 28 to pivot shafts 29 pivoted in bosses 3Q soldered or otherwise affixed to the tube courses (8 and I9; and the shafts 29 are linked to complemental slides of the tracker mechanism, so that retraction of a slide will actuate a selected valve, either to open or close the tone hole. It will be understood that some of the keys of the instrument are arranged, on depression, to open respective valves, while depression of other keys closes respective valves; and it will be appreciated that the location of the valves on the pivot shafts and the character of the linkages between the shafts and the corresponding slides may vary according to the position and nature of the tone hole to be opened or closed.

Three typical installations are illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. The valve 22a is normally closed and is disposed to the right of its pivot shaft 2 9a. The valve 22b is normally open and is disposed at the left of its shaft 291). Both of these shafts may thus be connected to their respective slides by a simple linkage comprising an offset link 3| preferably connected at 32 to a short arm 33 fixed Retraction of an associated slide thus opens valve 22a or closes valve 22b.

Because of the location of the normally closed valve 220, an auxiliary actuating shaft 34 is disposed parallel to the valve shaft 290, the two shafts having complemental projecting rocker arms 55 and 56, respectively, normally in engagement,so that upon rotation of the auxiliary shaft 34- in a counter-clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 6) the arm 55" of shaft 34 depresses the arm 56- of shaft 290, causing thelatter'to rotate in the opposite direction to open the valve 22c.- The auxiliary shaft is connected t'o-the' slide 230 by link 3| and arm 33, inthe" same manner as'the shafts 29a and 29b.

Each valve is held in its normal position by a spring fixed-'- in one of the shaft-supporting bosses 30 and engaging a catch 36 011 the shaft, as best shown in Fig. 4. Other typesand arrangements of resilientineans" for restoring the valves to normal position may be utilized to suit the convenience of the manufacturer.

The slides 23 of the tracker mechanism are preferably guided by bridge members extending between the tube courses l8- and I9, and disposed on the keyboard section [2 of the tube, if desired. As shown in Fig. 3, these bridges may comprise a central block or comb member 31 having slots in its opposite sides to receive the respective slides 23-, and removable side" members 38 having complemental slots in their inner faces. The side pieces 38 have ends shaped to fit against the tube courses l8 and I9 and are removably held in position against the tubes and in proper relation to the center piece 31, by screws 39.

The tracker rods or slides are preferably arranged in multiple banks, as'previously explained, and the bridge members are designed to accommodate the number of rods necessary to operate the valves required by the instrument. The arrangement shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is merely illustrative of an installation accommodating ten tracker rods in two parallel banks of five rods each. The arrangement shown in Fig. 'I is illustrative of a bridge member accommodating twenty tracker rods in four banks of five rods each.

In Fig. 7, the bridge comprises top and bottom members 40 and 4| shaped to fit the respective tube courses l8 and IS; a center post 42 which slidingly fits between the members 40 and 4!; two comb members 43 and 44 which also slidin'gly fit between the members 40' and 4| on opposite sides of the center post 42 and which have recesses 45 on their opposite sides-to provide guide slots for the twenty tracker rods; and side members 46 which fit against the respective tube courses and are fastened by screws or otherwise to the members 40 and 4|, to retain the center post and comb members in operative position. It will be apparent that removal of the side members or retaining plates 46 permits the removal of the double comb members 43 and 44 and the center post 42.

The springs associated with each valve shaft tend to hold the valves and keys in inoperative position and to draw the tracker slides away from the keyboard assembly. The movement of the rods under such spring tension is preferably limited by stops disposed on the slides or on the valve arms. As shown in Fig. 6, the slide 230 carries a stop member 41 engaging a bridge block 31; and the arm 28 of valve MD has an extension stop 48 engaging the surface of the tube I9.

It will be appreciated, as aforesaid, that the structural details of the improved instrument are shown more or less diagrammatically, particularly in Figs. 3 to 6, in which many of the slides necessary to the operation of a clarinet have been omitted from the views for the sake of clarity. Moreover, these structural details may be modified to suit particular conditions or types of instruments without departing from the essence of this invention as" defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A musical instrument of the character de- 5 scribed, comprising a wind tube having a plurality of longitudinally spaced tone holes, a keyboard assembly mounted adjacent and parallel to one end of the tube and having a plurality of keys pivoted therein and spaced longitudinally of said tube, movable valves pivotally mounted on the tube for controlling the respective tone holes, and tracker mechanism extending longitudinally of the tube for operation of a corresponding valve upon manual depression of aselected key irrespective of the distance between said valve and key, said tracker mechanism comprising longitudinally slidablerods extending parallel to said tube along one side thereof, and means connecting the several rods to their respective several keys and to their corresponding valves.

2. A musical instrument of the character described, comprising a wind tube having a plurality of longitudinally spaced tone holes, a keyboard assembly mounted adjacent and parallel to one end of the tube and having a plurality of keys pivoted therein and spaced longitudinally of said tube, movable valves pivotally mounted on the tube for controlling the respective tone holes, and tracker mechanism extending longitudinally of the tube for operation of a corresponding valve upon manual depression of a selected key irrespective of the distance between said valve and key, said tracker mechanism comprising longitudinally slidable rods extending parallel to said tube along one side thereof, and means connecting the several rods to their respective several keys and to their corresponding valves, and bridge members mounted on the tube in longitudinally spaced relation and having openings receiving said rods for guiding sliding movement thereof.

3. A musical instrument of the character described, comprising a Wind tube having a plurality of longitudinally spaced tone holes, a keyboard assembly mounted adjacent and parallel to one end of the tube and having a plurality of keys pivoted therein and spaced longitudinally of said tube, movable valves pivotally mounted on the tube for controlling the respective tone holes, and tracker mechanism extending longitudinally of the tube for operation of a corresponding valve upon manual depression of a selected key irrespective of the distance between said valve and key, said tracker mechanism comprising longitudinally slidable rods extending parallel to said tube along one side thereof, and means connecting the several rods to their respective several keys and to their corresponding valves, bridge members mounted on the tube in longitudinally spaced relation and having openings receiving said rods for guiding sliding movement thereof,

and springs associated with said valves and holding them in inactive position, certain of said rods having stop members engageable with a bridge member to limit the movement of said rods under action of said springs.

4. A musical instrument of the character described, comprising a tube bent upon itself to provide parallel courses and a keyboard extension at the mouthpiece end of the tube, longitudinally spaced tone holes in each of said courses,

valves pivotally mounted on said courses for controlling the tone holes, keys pivotally mounted on said extension in longitudinally spaced relation, and tracker mechanism interconnecting corresponding keys and valves, said tracker mechanism comprising longitudinally movable rods disposed between and. extending parallel to said tube courses and along the keyboard extension, and means connecting each rod to a key and to a corresponding valve, whereby depression of a key moves one of the rods and actuates the corresponding valve.

5. A musical instrument of the character described, comprising a tube bent upon itself to provide parallel courses and a keyboard extension at the mouthpiece end of the tube, longitudinally spaced tone holes in each of said courses, valves pivotally mounted on said courses for controlling the tone holes, keys pivotally mounted on said extension in longitudinally spaced relation, tracker mechanism interconnecting corresponding keys and valves, said tracker mechanism comprising longitudinally slidable rods disposed between and extending parallel to said tube courses and along the keyboard extension, and means connecting each rod to a key and to a corresponding valve, and a bridge member transversely mounted between said courses, said member having openings receiving said rods for guiding sliding movement thereof.

6. A musical instrument of the character described, comprising a tube bent upon itself to provide parallel courses and a keyboard extension at the mouthpiece end of the tube, longitudinally spaced tone holes in each of said courses, valves pivotally mounted on said courses for controlling the tone holes, keys pivotally mounted on said extension in longitudinally spaced relation, tracker mechanism interconnecting corresponding keys and valves, said tracker mechanism comprising longitudinally slidable rods disposed between and extending parallel to said tube courses and along the keyboard extension, and means connecting each rod to a key and to a corresponding valve, and spaced bridge members removably attached to the tube between said courses, said members having transversely spaced slots receiving the respective rods for guiding sliding movement there- 7. A musical instrument of the character described, ccmprising a. tube bent upon itself to provide parallel courses and a keyboard extension at the mouthpiece end of the tube, longitudinally spaced tone holes in each of said courses, valves pivotally mounted on said courses for controlling the tone holes, keys pivotally mounted on said extension in longitudinally spaced relation, tracker mechanism comprising fiat, slidable rods interconnecting corresponding keys and valves and extending between said courses and parallel thereto, and a series of bridge members transversely mounted between said courses and each comprising a guide member having slots in its opposite sides for receiving the respective rods, and a side piece removably attached on the outer side of said guide member to close said slots and retain the rods therein, whereby sliding movement of the rods is guided by said bridge members.

8. A musical instrument of the character described, comprising a tube bent upon itself to provide parallel courses and a keyboard extension at the mouthpiece end of the tube, longitudinally spaced tone holes in each of said courses, valves pivotally mounted on said courses for controlling the tone holes, a keyboard frame mounted on said keyboard extension parallel thereto, keys pivoted to said frame in longitudinally spaced relation, tracker mechanism comprising flat, slidable rods interconnecting corresponding keys and valves and extending between said courses and parallel thereto, and a series of bridge members transversely mounted between said courses and between the keyboard frame and the instrument tube and each comprising guide members having openings arranged for receiving the respective rods, a center post, and side pieces removably attached on the outer sides of said guide members to retain the said guide members and center post and to retain the rods therein.

JASPER KARL MASON.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this-patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 550,431 Adler et al Nov. 26, 1895 1,643,463 McAvoy Sept. 27, 1927 1,750,051 Rives Mar. 11, 1930 1,805,929 Stein May 19, 1931 2,382,880 Incagnoli Aug. 14, 1945 

